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Systems and structures at a high performing high poverty school: A case study using RTI to promote student achievement

SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES AT A HIGH PERFORMING HIGH POVERTY
SCHOOL:
A CASE STUDY USING RTI TO PROMOTE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
by
Leila Ramos Gabriel
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2011
Copyright 2011 Leila Ramos Gabriel

Improving educational outcomes for all students is the primary focus of educational reform movements. In an attempt to minimize the achievement gap in student performance, Response to Intervention (RTI) emphasizes the early identification of struggling students, a multi-tiered intervention model and progress monitoring.; This study provided an in-depth description of the systems and structures of the RTI framework at a single Southern California elementary school selected for being both high performing and high poverty. The research questions that guided this study were: (1) What are the trends and patterns of performance among students attending high poverty, high achieving schools, specifically students in special education? (2) What are the perceived school wide systems and structures that contribute to the high achievement in high poverty schools and have the most impact on the implementation of RTI? (3) How are organizational systems implemented and sustained to support higher levels of achievement for all students?; Qualitative data for this study were collected from interviews, observations and documents. Findings revealed that the systems of professional development, leadership and resource allocation positively influenced RTI implementation. Strong leadership provided the effective elements of: prioritizing student achievement, implementing a standards-based curriculum, using assessment data to improve instruction, and ensuring the availability of appropriate instructional resources and interventions. As RTI gains traction, this study will contribute to the knowledge of a school wide reform and its implications for success at a high poverty school.

SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES AT A HIGH PERFORMING HIGH POVERTY
SCHOOL:
A CASE STUDY USING RTI TO PROMOTE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
by
Leila Ramos Gabriel
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2011
Copyright 2011 Leila Ramos Gabriel